“The all-new smart #1 stands for the restart of the smart brand and showcases the DNA of our Sensual Purity design philosophy. It’s grown-up, cool and embodies beauty with smart solutions – making it not only new but also fresh and enchanting. Our latest smart #1 has the potential to turn smart into a leading design brand.” says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-Benz AG.
Uwe Duettmann photographed the campaign for the new smart #1.
“The brand identity of the smart #1 is shaped by a new design, new technology and a new approach, making the vehicle an urban companion. Just like the smart brand itself, the design language invites drivers to connect with the car on a personal level. This is done using progressive exterior design elements such as concealed electric door handles, frameless doors and a floating halo roof that drivers would not expect on a car in this category – with new details to explore at every angle. The interior is also designed to push boundaries – particularly with its space to footprint ratio and its 4.270mm length, 2.750mm wheelbase and 19” inch rims, creating an impressive interior space with an enhanced 360° view.” we read on the smart website.
Since the birth of the brand in the 90s, smart has continuously pursued the vision of exploring the best solutions for the future of urban mobility. In 2019, smart Automobile Co. Ltd. was officially established. With a forward-looking ‘China-Europe dual-home’ global development strategy, smart is committed to developing into a world-leading, premium, all-electric automobile technology brand. smart has recently completed a comprehensive renewal of its brand, products, and business model. Next-gen, all-electric product development is led by the smart R&D team, with the Mercedes-Benz global design team responsible for vehicle design, and the product portfolio now expanded into further market segments. The new smart #1, which recently celebrated its world premiere, was launched in 2022 and is sold in China, Europe and other markets. To ramp up its global operations, smart has established marketing and sales centers across China and Europe.
GoSee : duettmann.com
About UWE DUETTMANN
After studying »Visual Arts« in Düsseldorf and subsequent studies at the HFBK in Berlin, Duettmann spent several years as longterm assistant of Hans Hansen and Annie Leibovitz. He then started his own career as a photographer, shooting editorial assignments for magazines such as Tempo, Stern, Rolling Stone, Vogue, L'Uomo Vogue and Elle...
After more than 20 years in the business, Uwe Duettmann's portfolio reveals a wild crazy-quilt of images that raise an eyebrow or sparkle a smile, featuring everything from serious portraiture and glossy auto shots to bizarre, otherworldly scenarios that could only be conceived by the wackiest of minds.
»If you look at Irving Penn, he's not thinking of shooting landscapes or people or still life,« Uwe Duettmann notes. »It's a bit the same with me. I don't care about what I'm doing, it's more about how I can express myself in different ways.« Featuring everything in his impressive career, the German-born photographer has been adorned with every major award in the advertising community, from the »Cannes Lion« to the »ADC New York«.
No matter what the project, Duettmann remains the consummate collaborator. His ultra-easygoing manner reveals no hint of the ego, yet he maintains the confidence of someone who knows he can get the job done. »All I need is good direction,« he says. »It's like jumping off a plane in a parachute. Even if the target is just one meter by one meter, I'll land on it.« On a more personal level, there's a reason why Duettmann's photographs often inspire a grin, even a laugh. »I'm not a nurse, but I'd love to help people enjoy life better,« he says. »It's bizarre working in advertising and wanting to achieve that, but I try to bring the human aspect into it.«